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Rooney crowned King again in North Kilkenny

King Rooney really likes Ballyragget. Having won his Trial Stake at the North Kilkenny meeting 12 months ago he returned to claim the Walsh Cup for trainer Brendan Matthews and the Keogh-Matthews-Walsh-Reilly Syndicate. The Derby quarter finalist couldn’t quite get over the line at the beginning of the season but has really come to himself more recently losing in the semi final before finally getting the Cup he desired here.

In the All Age Bitch Stake Skellig Lola was declared the winner and put herself into contention for a place in the Grace Bruton Champion Bitch Stake in Clonmel. The daughter of Bexhill Eoin and Qualityandgold had been an overnight 5-4 chance and she succeeded after an undecided course in the final with Giveittobatty.

This is the 8th All Age Cup of the season for the Skellig kennels with Lola’s litter brother Skellig Eoin having claimed two Cups of his own earlier in the year. Remarkably of the 5 cup winners only Skellig Tivoli won a Trial Stake. (Although it should be noted that Way and Sunrise were September pups and Lola and Eoin, July pups)

There was an early Christmas present for the connections of Glenlough Mick who finally won his Trial Stake at Ballyraggett having lost out in the final in both Mallow and Rathcormac. A 5-2 joint favourite for the Stake overnight the son of Bexhill Eoin and Uptown Smurf gave John Murphy a reason to be cheerful and something to look forward to at the beginning of February.

The Oaks Trial Stake was claimed by Mairead Wallace’s Floating Cove as she beat Coffee In Dinnys in the final. Bred by Mairead outing of Floating Spirit and by Wallace Green, Cove had reached a third round and a fourth round on her two outings to date before claiming her Trial Stake here.